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(11)

EP 1 062 623 A1

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(43) Date of publication: 27.12.2000 Bulletin 2000/52 (21) Application number: 98948182.5 (22) Date of filing: 15.09.1998

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G06K 9/00 (86) International application number: PCT/US9819/065 (87) International publication number: WO 9949/412 (30.09.1999 Gazette 1999/39)

(84) Designated Contracting States: DE FR GB (30) Priority: 20.03.1998 WO PCT/US98/03811 (71) Applicants: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND College Park,Maryland 20742-9520 (US) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Tokyo 100-8310 (JP)	(72) Inventors: ATSUMI, Eiji,c/o Mitsubishi Electric Corp. Kamakura-shi, 247-8501 (JP) FARVARDIN, Nariman Rockville, MD 20850 (US) (74) Representative: Ruuskanen, Juha-Pekka et al Page White & Farrer,54 Doughty Street London WC1N 2LS London WC1N 2LS (GB)